This invention relates, in general, to devices for holding flexible walled containers, such as plastic and paper containers or bags, in an open position for filling with leaves and other debris.
Various devices or holders have been devised to hold the mouth of flexible containers open to enable easy filling of the bags with debris or waste and, in particular, leaves, by freeing both of the user""s hands from holding the container.
Such containers are extremely flexible such that it is difficult to hold one end sufficiently open with one hand in order to fill the container with leaves or other debris with the other hand. Once the containers are filled to about mid-level, the containers will have sufficient support to be freestanding on the ground. However, the mouth or open end of the container may still partially close or collapse inward thereby making further insertion of debris difficult.
Opening devices for such flexible containers are typically in the form of a frame structure formed of rods or hollow plastic tubes which are wide, deep and high enough to maintain the container at its fullest interior dimensions and, more importantly, to maintain the mouth of the container fully open.
Such frames typically have opposed pairs of legs with cross members extending between each pair of legs and between the legs of each pair of legs. Typically, one pair of legs is pivotal with respect to the other pair of legs to enable the frame to collapse to a small, compact, generally planar shape when not in use as well as for insertion into an empty container.
However, most of such opening devices do not include means to hold the pivotal legs in an expanded, open position or, if such means are provided, such holding means are complicated and costly or require the use of tools to secure fasteners, for example, in a fixed position between the legs. This detracts from the easy use of such bag opening devices.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an opener device for a thin walled, flexible container which is insertable into the container and functions to hold the container in a fully expanded position with the open end of the container fully open for easy insertion of waste, leaves or debris into the container. It would also be desirable to provide such an opener device which is easily lockable and unlockable in an expanded position for ease of insertion into and removal from the container.
A flexible container or bag opener support apparatus is disclosed which is insertable through an end of a flexible container or bag and is then movable to an expanded position holding the interior of the bag and the open end of the bag in a full open cross section.
In a broad configuration, the apparatus includes a first frame member; two second frame members, each pivotally connected to the first frame member and movable between an expanded position and a collapsed position with respect to the first frame member. The second frame members, when in the expanded position, cooperate with the first frame member for maintaining the container in the fully opened, interior cross section and open ended state. Lock means are releasably engagable between the second frame members for maintaining the second frame members in the expanded position.
In a specific aspect of the invention, the first frame member includes a pair of spaced side legs and an interconnecting cross leg. Preferably, the side legs and the cross leg of the first frame member are formed as an integral, one piece unit from a hollow, tubular member.
In another aspect of the invention, each of the second frame members include a connector leg pivotally connected to one of the side legs of the first frame member and a side leg fixed to the connector leg and extending therefrom. Preferably, the side legs of the second frame members are disposed in parallel to the side legs of the first frame member when in the expanded position.
The lock means, in one aspect of the invention, is preferably in the form of a lock arm pivotally connected to one of the second frame members, and a lock member carried at an outer end of the lock arm. The lock member is releasably engagable with the opposed second frame member to maintain the side legs of the second frame member in the expanded position; while allowing pivotal movement of the side legs relative to the first frame member when the lock member is disengaged from the opposed side leg of the second frame member.
In a specific aspect, the lock arm carries a lock member at one end which is engagable with the opposed second frame member. In an exemplary aspect, the lock member in the form of an arcuate flange carried on the end of the lock arm and disposable in registry with the opposed side leg of the second frame member.
The pivotal mounting of the second frame members on the first frame member allows the second frame members to be collapsed into an overlying, folded position allowing easy storage of the bag opener support apparatus when not in use as well as easy insertion of the apparatus into an empty container.
The bag opener support apparatus of the present invention has a simple construction with a minimal number of separate components for a low manufacturing cost. The opener apparatus is easy to use and can be easily inserted into empty containers and then expanded to form the container to its full cross section end opening and interior size. After the container is full or partially full of debris, the opener apparatus may be easily removed through the open end of the container.
The lock arm carried on the second frame members holds the second frame members in the expanded position despite any impact from debris inserted through the open end of the bag into the interior of the bag.